Loss of Control in Flight: Van's RV-6, N69HF; fatal accident occurred December 08, 2020 in Hitchcock, Galveston County, Texas

Austin Stahl

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board

Investigator In Charge (IIC): Baker, Daniel 

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident. 

Additional Participating Entity: 

Ramon Reyes; Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Houston, Texas 

Investigation Class: 3

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket

https://registry.faa.gov/N69HF 

Location: Hitchcock, Texas 

Accident Number: CEN21LA080

Date and Time: December 8, 2020, 15:40 Local

Registration: N69HF

Aircraft: Vans RV6 

Aircraft Damage: Destroyed

Defining Event: Loss of control in flight

Injuries: 1 Fatal

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis

Before the accident flight, the pilot was seen conducting maintenance on the airplane in front of his hangar. Witnesses heard the pilot start the engine and saw the airplane take off from the hangar/ramp area and stated that the pilot appeared to be struggling to control the airplane. About 1.5 hours later, the airplane was seen flying at low altitude over a residential area before it impacted the ground. Witnesses stated that the engine was running normally before the accident and that the airplane appeared “out of control.”

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Postmortem toxicology testing of specimens from the pilot were consistent with the recent use of alcohol and a sedating antihistamine. It is likely that the pilot was impaired from ingested alcohol, which contributed to his loss of airplane control. Whether effects from his use of the antihistamine also contributed to the accident could not be determined.

Although family and friends described the pilot having episodes of unusual behavior in the years before the accident, no significant medical conditions were identified during the investigation.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The pilot’s impairment by the effects of ingested alcohol, which resulted in the loss of airplane control and impact with terrain.

Findings

Personnel issues Alcohol - Pilot

Aircraft Altitude - Not attained/maintained

Factual Information

On December 8, 2020, about 1540 central standard time, a Vans RV-6 airplane, N69HF, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Hitchcock, Texas. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight.

Family members and a friend stated that the pilot had gone to the airport the day of the accident to work on the airplane’s magnetos and did not take his flying gear or indicate that he would fly that day. Witnesses observed the pilot conduct maintenance on the airplane in front of his hangar at the airport. One witness talked to the pilot while he was working on the airplane and described him as “distracted,” and the pilot avoided talking to him. The witness further stated that the pilot acted “very distant,” and he thought the pilot may have been impaired.

The accident airplane was located in front of the pilot’s hangar in the ramp area that was on the north end of the airport between two rows of hangars. About 1415, one witness heard the airplane’s engine start and saw the pilot in the cockpit of the airplane with the canopy closed. He heard the engine power increase and watched the airplane take off from the ramp area to the west. He said that the airplane became airborne as it entered the grassy area between the taxiway and runway 18/36, and it bounced, pitched, and yawed erratically as it accelerated.

A pilot who was in his airplane on the parallel taxiway near the hangar area, saw the airplane “shoot out” of the ramp area about 200 yards in front of him and become airborne as it entered the grass. He stated that the pilot appeared to be having trouble controlling the airplane. He did not hear the pilot make any radio calls on ground or tower frequencies.

Additional witnesses saw the airplane fly at a low altitude above a residential area about 6 miles west of the airport. They said that the airplane flew north to south 200 to 300 ft above the ground and made a turn to the west toward the accident location, which was about 4 miles northwest of their location. They reported that the engine sounded normal. Residential security cameras also captured videos of the airplane about this time, and the engine could be heard operating at a high power setting.

About 1.5 hours after the airplane took off, a witness near the accident site reported that she heard a loud noise, and her house began to shake. She looked out her window and saw an airplane fly low near her house. She described the airplane as “out of control,” wobbling and moving unusually before it hit the ground. She said that the airplane traveled more horizontally than vertically as it descended. She said the noise sounded like an engine, and it was constant before the airplane impacted the ground.

All flight control surfaces were identified at the accident site, but flight control continuity could not be verified due to impact damage.

On his most recent application for a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airman medical certificate, the pilot reported no medical conditions, no use of medications, and no visits to health providers.

According to the autopsy performed by the County of Galveston Medical Examiner's Office, the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries, and the manner of death was accident.

Toxicology testing performed by NMS Labs at the request of the medical examiner identified ethanol at 0.252 gm/dl in femoral blood.

Toxicology testing performed by the FAA’s Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified ethanol at 0.160 gm/dl in liver tissue, 0.348 gm/dl in lung, 0.238 gm/dl in muscle, and 0.196 gm/dl in brain. In addition, cetirizine was identified at 60 ng/ml in cavity blood and liver tissue.

Family members and a friend of the pilot told investigators the pilot had been experiencing episodes of unusual behavior for about 4 years, for which the pilot had sought medical evaluation; however, no medical records and no record of treatment or condition were located during the investigation.

History of Flight

Enroute Loss of control in flight (Defining event)

Prior to flight Miscellaneous/other

Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline transport

Age: 50,Male

Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Multi-engine land

Seat Occupied: Front

Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter 

Restraint Used:

Instrument Rating(s): Airplane 

Second Pilot Present: No

Instructor Rating(s): None

Toxicology Performed: Yes

Medical Certification: Class 1 None

Last FAA Medical Exam: February 28, 2020

Occupational Pilot: Yes

Last Flight Review or Equivalent:

Flight Time: 17825 hours (Total, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Vans 

Registration: N69HF

Model/Series: RV6 

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Year of Manufacture: 

Amateur Built: Yes

Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental (Special)

Serial Number: 21624

Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel 

Seats:

Date/Type of Last Inspection: December 14, 2019 Annual 

Certified Max Gross Wt.:

Time Since Last Inspection: 

Engines: Reciprocating

Airframe Total Time:

Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming

ELT: 

Engine Model/Series: O-360-A4A

Registered Owner:

Rated Power: 180 Horsepower

Operator: On file

Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC) 

Condition of Light: Day

Observation Facility, Elevation: KGLS, 9 ft msl 

Distance from Accident Site: 9 Nautical Miles

Observation Time: 15:52 Local 

Direction from Accident Site: 119°

Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear

Visibility:  10 miles

Lowest Ceiling: 

Visibility (RVR):

Wind Speed/Gusts: 11 knots / 

Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:  /

Wind Direction: 190°

Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:  /

Altimeter Setting: 30.2 inches Hg 

Temperature/Dew Point: 18°C / 9°C

Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation

Departure Point: Galveston, TX (KGLS)

Type of Flight Plan Filed: None

Destination: 

Type of Clearance: None

Departure Time: 14:15 Local

Type of Airspace:

Airport Information

Airport: Scholes International Airport at Galveston KGLS

Runway Surface Type:

Airport Elevation: 6 ft msl 

Runway Surface Condition:

Runway Used: 

IFR Approach: None

Runway Length/Width:

VFR Approach/Landing: None

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal

Aircraft Damage: Destroyed

Passenger Injuries:

Aircraft Fire: None

Ground Injuries: 

Aircraft Explosion: None

Total Injuries: 1 Fatal

Latitude, Longitude: 29.342925,-95.004477(est)